Our favorite way of preparing angel hair nests is a Mexican dish called "sopa seca de fideo". It's a lot like pilaf, but made with thin noodles instead of rice.

The name "sopa seca de fideo" translates to "dry soup with noodles". It's not soup, it's called a "dry soup" because the noodles absorb all of the wonderful rich stock, making the noodles taste more delicious than you can possibly imagine.

Tomatoes are in da house! Or garden, or market. Summer's bounty is in full swing, and if you, like me, have more tomatoes ripening on the vine than you can eat in salads or BLTs, try this gazpacho. It's a chilled tomato and vegetable soup, perfect for sweltering summer days.

We've got plums and pluots coming out the wazoo at the moment. Every time I mention a potential plum recipe my mother's eyes light up with what appears to be frantic joy; she can't give them away fast enough and she's tired of making plum freezer jam (20 pints and counting).

Unfortunately, the plums required for this recipe hardly put a dent in her inventory; only a little more than a pound is needed.